The Best of the Best: Granola Bars (skip the sugar, bring on the whole grains!)

This is the first in a series of special report blogs we'll be posting about foods that are the "Best of the Best" in a specific food category. There are certain foods that you just know are healthful choices, like...

This is the first in a series of special report blogs we'll be posting about foods that are the "Best of the Best" in a specific food category. There are certain foods that you just know are healthful choices, like beans, whole grains, fruits and veggies, etc. But have you ever wondered if there is an ultimate BEST of the healthy foods? We're going to give you the scoop on what we consider the best of the best foods (and why).

Today we’re talking granola bars, which are portable and easy to eat options when you’re on the go. And doesn’t the word “granola” just sound healthy? BUT, when it comes to the nutrition of granola bars, and how healthful a snack they are, they’re all over the map.

Here’s what you should be looking for:

Whole grains: A granola bar should be based on whole grains – and by this we mean, the first ingredient (i.e the ingredient used in the largest amount in the bar) should be a whole grain (not sugar, the ingredient on which many brands base their bars.) Most likely this will be oats, since that’s the main grain/ingredient used in traditional granola bars.

Fiber: Look for at least 3 grams of fiber per bar. Any grain product that’s made from 100% “whole” grains should automatically contain enough fiber to meet this requirement. But some granola bars are made with a combination of refined grains and whole grains. In addition, some bars have added fiber to make the fiber content higher but still use mostly refined grains. Make sure you check the ingredients list to make sure a whole grain comes first as well as the Nutrition Facts panel to make sure the bar meets the fiber mark.

Less sugar: Chose a bar with no more than 8 grams of sugar. Once you’ve scanned the ingredients list to make sure sugar is not the first ingredient listed, look at the Nutrition Facts label for the grams of sugar per bar. Just a reminder: for every 4 grams of sugar, that’s one teaspoon of the white stuff!

No Trans fat: By now, you all probably know that trans fat should be avoided, but what a lot of people don’t know is that checking the Nutrition Facts label and seeing “0 g” listed under trans fat doesn’t give you the full picture. Check the ingredients list and make sure that there are no “partially hydrogenated oils” – THEN you know there are really no trans fats. Companies can label trans fats as zero as long as the product contains less than .5 grams of trans fat per serving. Partially hydrogenated oils pop up often in bars that have chocolate or yogurt chips or any type of coating/dip.

And now… the best of the best. Each of these brands meet the above criteria. It’s actually pretty tough to find many that do — so if any of you have favorites that we’re missing, let us know!